


That Old, Dreaded Feeling

by GreenReticule



Category: Halo (Video Games) & Related Fandoms
Genre: Gen, Halo 2, The Cole Protocol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-26
Updated: 2017-02-26
Packaged: 2018-09-27 01:57:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9945293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreenReticule/pseuds/GreenReticule
Summary: Long ago, Thel killed a friend to defend the Prophets, and the scene was beginning to play out once more.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Set during the "Uncomfortable Silence" cinematic in Halo 2.  
> Reposted from my Tumblr.

Thel passed between the two Jiralhanae guards. He wondered at how the helmets fit; they must be very uncomfortable. But that was not his concern, nor the reason he was here. As he stepped further into the chambers, words reached his ears, an unmistakable voice “…unacceptable.”

“A Heirarch is dead, Commander.”

At the scene before him, Thel froze in his place. The Prophet of Mercy worried his hands together as the Prophet of Truth held the angry stare of Rtas ‘Vadumee. The place between Thel’s hearts grew cold as Rtas gestured with a fist and his voice rose, “-if you had not withdrawn our Phantoms-!”

“So you would kill us too Shipmaster? Like animals? After all we served?”

A body thrust to the floor, a blade swift to decapitate, dark blood burning into his hands. But it wasn’t Zhar’s this time. 

No, Rtas. Not you too. Thel felt suddenly very alone in the world, and the child in him wished for Lak.

His horrific vision would not come to pass. A harsh word and a hand raised from the Prophet of Truth cut argument between the Hierarchs and the Commander short.

Thel registered the rest of the conversation, barely. Palpable relief flooded his tensed muscles as Rtas at last took his leave of the Prophets, without incident.

-

As he passed, the Commander gave a wordless greeting to the Arbiter, who had remained outwardly composed. In fact, were it not for his eyes (and past actions), Truth doubted he would have been able to tell that the warrior was coiled to spring to his Hierarchs’ defense. 

Hmm. Perhaps he should have prodded 'Vadumee on a little further. A SpecOps Commander attacking the Prophets in their own chambers? It would solidify the changing of the guards, and the Arbiter’s hand would rid him of one more problematic Sangheili. But no, 'Vadumee was not desperate like the one zealot in the past; it would not have worked. Better that it transpired as it had.

Besides, Truth concluded as he watched the Arbiter approach, it would not do to send a broken tool on this next task.

Desperation was slow to fade from the amber eyes; 'Vadamee could conceal his emotions everywhere but there. Truth was grateful for that. It made him easier to read and thus easier to manipulate than the pain that was 'Jar Wattinree - a Sangheili who was so arrogant that even the mantle of Arbiter would not be enough shame to bring him to heel.

Truth rubbed his neck and sighed. Enough reminiscing; 'Jar Wattinree would be taken care of in time. His focus needed to be here and now, with the Arbiter whose hearts were still no doubt cold with the fear that he might have needed to take a comrade’s life. Truth took a moment, let his eyelids droop to a sympathetic gaze, adjusted his voice to a soothing tone, and watched as amber pools of desperation faded into compliance once more.

A pity that such a malleable tool had outlived its usefulness.

-

The child in him had been sated. The Hierarch was not Lak, but the wisdom of one beyond Thel’s own understanding was enough foundation for him to find his feet again.

It was on that foundation that Thel set his mental stance as Tartarus, who arrived outside the Hierarch’s chambers with his soldiers, gruffly demanded that he follow them to the appropriate Phantom. It was a unsettling change, Thel thought as he walked at the Chieftain’s elbow, the pack loudly congratulating their race’s lift in station and mocking the Sangheili’s fall in turn. But the Great Journey was at hand, and if he accomplished his mission - and he would - ranks and standings would no longer be of any purpose.

Unfortunately the triggered memory of Zhar refused to leave. As he boarded the Phantom, Jiralhanae jostling him, deliberately it seemed, Reth’s warnings hissed in his mind, “Both seek to lower your station.” Even Zhar tried to raise his voice again, “What else might be the Prophet’s manipulations?” Zhar’s voice became 'Refumee’s, and Thel began to grasp at the foundation off of which he was slipping. Again, he wished for Lak.

“The human who killed the Prophet of Regret,” Thel asked Tartarus, slightly appalled at his choice of lifeline, “Who was it?”

“Who do you think?”

Thel’s brand burned beneath his armor, and he found his footing. He gripped his carbine tight. Here was a foe from which he held no conflicts in defending his Hierarchs. His faith foundation was firm, and the child in him was calm once more.

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by one of my friends drawing comparison between Zhar's outburst in The Cole Protocol and Rtas' defiance in Halo 2.


End file.
